Call to action : sanctions against Israeli settlements

10th March 2013 | European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine

In the latest EU Heads of Mission Report on Jerusalem 2012 the EU consuls urge sanctions against Israeli settlements. Authored by the EU heads of mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah, the report makes recommendations on settlements that are related to financial translations linked to or supporting Israel’s ongoing construction on occupied Palestinian land.

European Union leaders and international organizations should play their role in ending Israeli occupation of Palestinians, uphold international law and respect Palestinian human rights

Call for action:

Send a letter to your MEP`s and ask for imposing a ban of any financial engagement with illegal Israeli settlements and Israeli companies that are directly involved or materially complicit with Israeli violations of international law pertaining to illegal Israeli settlement construction on Occupied Palestinian Territory

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Honourable Member of the European Parliament,

In the latest Heads of Mission Report 2012 the EU consuls recommend imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements. The European Union recommended that its 27 member states prevent all financial transactions that support Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. In a strongly-worded 15-page report, the EU suggested to its member states that they « prevent, discourage and raise awareness about problematic implications of financial transactions, including foreign direct investments, from within the EU, in support of settlement activities, infrastructure and services. »

Authored by the EU heads of mission inJerusalemand Ramallah, the report also calls to « ensure that imports of settlement products do not benefit from preferential tariffs » and make sure that all such products are clearly labelled as originating from Israeli-occupied areas.”

It also warns that EU programmes should not be « used to support settlements and settlement-related activity, including funding for research, education or technological cooperation. » And it proposes that member states raise awareness about « the financial and legal risks involved in purchasing property or providing services in settlements. »

Moreover, in a new letter to the foreign ministries of the 27 member states, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called for the full implementation of existing EU legislation according to which products from West Bank settlements, the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem should not receive the same preferential treatment as products from areas which the EU recognizes as sovereign Israeli territory.

The Members of the European Parliament should be aware that the Lisbon Treaty obliges the EU to ensure consistency, in its external action, between foreign policy and trade policy.

We believe that the continued occupation of the West Bank; the blockade of Gaza; the annexation of East Jerusalem; the establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the Occupied State of Palestine, the exploitation of Palestinian natural resources for the benefit of Israeli settlers; the construction of a Wall on Palestinian territory; the illegal detention of Palestinian prisoners, among them children, in Israeli jails; and the systematic discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, are not consistent with the enhancement of EU trade relationswith Israel.

In that context, we respectfully request you to make efforts to:

Call upon the European Commission and other relevant EU bodies to undertake an urgent review of the participation of Israeli companies involved in violations of international law, in European research projects and ensure that no further funds are allocated to them (with special focus on the recently adopted ACAA trade agreement and Horizon 2020 Programme). Propose legislation in your respective countries that would ban any financial engagement with illegal Israeli settlements and Israeli companies that are directly involved or materially complicit with Israeli violations of international law pertaining to illegal Israeli settlement construction on Occupied State of Palestine. Such a ban should include Israeli companies operating in illegal settlements from the European marketplace, in accordance with the call released by Palestinian agricultural organisations[1]. Send a strong message to Israel, confirming that there will be no increased cooperation unless there is tangible progress inIsrael’s adherence to international law. Suspend the EU-Israel Association agreement.